Background & History
Academy at the Lakes was founded by educators Richard and Connie Wendlek in 1992 as a Junior K – 8th grade private school. The school grew very quickly in its early years because of the outstanding experience the Wendleks provided for the children and families of Academy at the Lakes.
By the mid-1990’s the school had outgrown its original campus on the east side of Collier Parkway. A generous and visionary gift from Academy parents Gerry and Mary McCormick made a major expansion possible. The new McCormick Campus on the west side of Collier Parkway helped the school to add a high school program in 1999.
In 2001, the school became a not-for-profit corporation governed by a Board of Trustees. Shortly thereafter, Academy at the Lakes became a full-fledged member of the National Association of Independent Schools. Our programs are fully accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS), the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS/AdvancEd).
Since the graduation of the first class of seniors in 2002, Academy at the Lakes has sent its alumni to a range of colleges, including many of the finest colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Our graduates are attractive to colleges and universities because they have had opportunities to lead and discover their true potential through their involvement in the many activities available at the Academy.
Academy’s athletic program began competing in Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) competition in 2006. That same fall, our six-man football team made history by winning the school its first state championship in a thrilling last-second victory in Winter Haven. Since that time, our teams have had strong showings in FHSAA District and Regional play in a number of sports, all while stressing the school’s ethic of participation.
Since the school’s inception, the arts have been at the core of every student’s experience. We are most proud of the arts program we have built, which is led by excellent instructors. Our nine performing arts teachers all have professional lives in the Tampa Bay community as actors, singers, dancers, and instrumentalists. This allows our students the unique opportunity to see and hear their teachers perform at the area’s most significant venues, then to resume working together on the students’ projects the very next day.
Each year at Founders’ Day, when Richard and Connie Wendlek return to visit the school they founded, they marvel at its growth, depth, and breadth. Though the school is much larger and much more prominent today than it was at its inception, it still retains the personal touch and the commitment to relationships that were part of the founders’ vision of a great school. That vision is being realized each day at Academy at the Lakes.
